Letter Carriers Aim To Stamp Out Hunger

WILKES-BARRE — There’s a good chance that your mail carrier will be hauling around a heavier load on Saturday.

People in Wilkes-Barre are getting ready for the Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

Jeff Nichols says he knows his delivery route through the Heights section of Wilkes-Barre like the back of his hand. But instead of the usual letters and packages, Nichols says he and thousands of other letter carriers will be collecting donated cans of food for the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

“Once kids are done with school and we all know that sometimes, kids only get a good meal at school. So now the letter carriers take pride in the fact that in May, we stock the food banks back up, and hopefully we carrying them into getting back to thanksgiving holiday,” said USPS letter carrier Jeff Nichols.

More than 74,000 pounds of food was donated last year in the Wyoming Valley, going to places including the Commission on Economic Opportunity’s Weinberg Food Bank on Amber Lane.

“When you talk about food insecurity among all households, Luzerne County is actually one of the top five in the state,” said Weinberg Food Bank director Rich Kutz.

There’s a good-sized stockpile of canned vegetables at the food bank in Wilkes-Barre, but workers tell us what they’re hoping to have donated this weekend are canned fruit and canned meat.

“The recession hasn’t quite recovered here in Luzerne County, so the need is still there,” Kutz added.

This is the 22nd year for the Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

If you have anything to donate, the letter carriers ask that you leave the cans in plastic bags near your mailbox and put them out in time for your regular Saturday delivery.